The two gay couples who challenged the
constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's now ended gay
marriage ban, married on Friday as wedding bells for gay and lesbian
couples resumed in the state.

Kris Perry and Sandy Stier married at
San Francisco City Hall in a ceremony officiated by Attorney General
Kamala Harris. 90 minutes later, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa presided at the Los Angeles City Hall wedding of Paul
Katami and Jeff Zarrillo.

The weddings took place just hours
after a federal appeals court lifted its stay of a lower court ruling
declaring Proposition 8 invalid.

“By joining the case against
Proposition 8, they represented thousands of couples like themselves
in their fight for marriage equality,” Harris is quoted as saying
by the AP during the ceremony. “Through the ups and downs, the
struggles and the triumphs, they came out victorious.”

Backers of Proposition 8 complained
that the appeals court had acted too quickly, putting them in a more
difficult position if they decide to ask the Supreme Court to
reconsider its decision.

“The resumption of same-sex marriage
this day has been obtained by illegitimate means,” said Andy Pugno,
general counsel for Protect Marriage. “If our opponents rejoice in
achieving their goal in a dishonorable fashion, they should be
ashamed.”

“It remains to be seen whether the
fight can go on, but either way, it is a disgraceful day for
California,” he added.

The high court ruled Wednesday that
Protect Marriage, the original sponsors of Proposition 8, did not
have legal standing in the case. The decision effectively killed
Proposition 8 because a district court had ruled it unconstitutional
in 2010 and state officials had refused to defend it.